In the past, there has been a need for an electrical plug for use with self-regulating cable or the like that is simple to assemble and that does not require wires to be stripped during assembly.
Conventionally, the assembly of electrical plugs for use with self-regulating cable has required that the insulating material surrounding the cable conductors be stripped using a knife, pliers and/or a lighter in order to completely expose the cable conductors prior to making a connection with the plug housing conductors. Similarly, conventional plugs have required that the external braid of the grounding conductor of the self-regulating cable or the like be cut back and twisted away from the main cable in order to make the appropriate grounding connection to the plug housing ground conductor. These plugs have required additional tools for assembly as well as requiring considerable time and operator skill to ensure proper connection between conductors.
Furthermore, there has also been a need for a plug to provide a simple internal fuse link that provides effective circuit protection and which also eliminates the risk of replacing a burnt out fuse with an improper fuse. Some known plugs have provided circuit protection within the plug housing but with complex mechanical means which contribute to high manufacturing costs and which make the plug prohibitively expensive. Others have provided replaceable fuses but they can be improperly replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,367 discloses an electric plug with an internal circuit breaker. This device allows for protection of a circuit from within a plug housing but does not provide a means of simple installation of self-regulating cable or the like. The device is also considerably more complex in providing a number of mechanical parts that comprise both the circuit breaker and the plug housing. Assembly of this plug requires wires be stripped and requires a multiplicity of tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,167 discloses a fused electric plug with a housing assembly with internal fuse elements. Assembly of this plug requires stripping wires in order to crimp traditional conductive terminals to the ends of the exposed conductors. Furthermore, the plug does not describe a simple means of disassembly to replace burnt out fuses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,432 discloses an electrical connector with an internal fuselink that requires stripping of the insulating material around the cable conductors in order to make electrical connection within the plug housing. The housing of this connector is comprised of several components which add to the complexity of assembly and cost of manufacturing. As well, while the fuse link within this connector is replaceable and could be replaced with an improper fuse.